Aeroplane



Jan. 28, 1930. H. BQ CRUMBAUGH 1,745,081

r AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Q By A itorneuJan. 28, 1930. H. B. CRUMBAUGH AEROPLANE s sheets-sheet I 2 Filed Feb.26, 1929 Inventor Jan. 28, 1930. gRuM H 1,745,081

AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor AttorneyPatented Jan. 28, 1930 v HARRY B. CRUMBATlGH, OF GREENVILLE, TEXASAEROPLAN E Application filed February 26', 1929. Serial No. 342,923.

The present invention relates aeroplanes and more particularly to alanding gear and launching apparatus associated therewith.

The prime object of the invention resides in the provision of meanswhereby the areoplane may be raised suddenly and quickly from the groundin the take off.

Another very important object of the in- 1 vention resides in theprovision of an apparatus for throwing the aeroplane in the air "at thetake off controlled by compressed air stored in a tank in the aeroplane.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provisionof a tail wheel for the aeroplane with an air brake associatedtherewith.

' A still further very important object of the invention resides in theprovision of an 30 apparatus of this nature which is simple in itsconstruction, easy to manipulate,

thoroughly efiicient and reliable in use and operation, and otherwisewell adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the above and numerous other objects in View as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features ofconstruction, and in the combina tion and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an aeroplane embodying the features ofmy invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional fragmentary side elevation thereof,

' Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in section of one of thesupporting'wheels.

Figure iris an enlarged detail section through the control valve. v

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical section taken substantially onthe line 5-5 of Figure 1. v

Figure 6-is a diametric detailed section 45 taken substantially on line66 of Figure 5, and looking in the direction of the arrows,

and A Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed section 50 through the tail,showing particularly the brake associated with the tail wheels.

generally to R bes tion eferring to the drawing in detail, it will eenthat the numeral 5 denotes an aeroplane fuselage of any preferredconstrucwhich has depending from the forward portion thereof a framestructure 6 to which is pivotally engaged a truck comprising a frame Fwhich includes side arms 7 pivotally engaged as at 8 with the bar 10.ties frame 6 and a cross 9 braced in respect to the arm 7 as at Wheels11 are journaled on the extremiof the brace members 10 at the lower endsperi like against the axle when 1n a free 17 ng in like directions sothat balls or the 16 mounted in the recess will wedge the wheels arerotated reverse direction that is the wheels are to rotate in thedirection of the arrows in Figure 3 but are prevented from rotating inopposite directions.

arcuate cylinder 18 is mounted on the fuselage as at 19 in any preferredmanner so as to be concentric in respect to the pivots 8 and thiscylinder is braced in respect to the frame 6 piston 21 a curved bysuitable brace structure 20. A is slidable in the cylinder and has rod22 extending therefrom and slidable through the head 23 at the bottomend of the cylinder and said rod is fixed as at 24- to the cross bar 9.

Butler springs 26 and 27 are located in the ends of the cylinder. A head28 at the upper end of the cylinder is coupled with a pipe 29 leadingfrom a valve V.- A pipe 30 leads from the valve V.

ottom of the cylinder 18 to the A bufi'er spring 31 is disposed about'the rod 22 to the outside of the cylinder 18. A

support 33 depending from the tail or rear end of the fuselage hasrotatably mounted thereon a tail wheel 34 with a brake drum 35 attacircumjacent the ched thereto. A brake band 36 is disposed drum 35 andcontrolled by air pipe 40 leading thereto from the valve The valve Vcomprises a casing 42 into which extends pipes 29,30 and 40. The pipes30 and are located at 180 degrees from each other and the pipe 29 islocated 90 degrees from the pipes 30 and 40. 180 degrees from the pipe29 is an exhaust opening 43 in the casing.

A core 44 is rotatable in the casing receiving air through opening 45froma pipe 46 leading from an air tank 47. An opening 48 is provided inthe core so as to'be registerable with pipes 29, 30 and 40. An exteriorchannel 49 is provided in the core for permitting escape of air.

WVith the parts disposed as shown in Figure 4 it will be seen that withthe valve V in the position shown in Figure 5, compressed air passesthrough the pipe 29 to force the piston 21 downwardly and swing thetruck frame F rearwardly and since the wheels 11 are prevented fromrotating in reverse direction the aeroplane is lifted forwardly andupwardly so as to obtain a quick efficient take off.

The air forced fromthe cylinder escapes through pipe 30, channel 49 andopening 43. The truck frame F is returned to its raised position byturning the core -44 so as to register the opening 48 with the pipe 30.

lVhen landing the brake may be applied on the wheel 34, bringing theopening 48 in registry with the pipe 40, as will be quite apparentandthus landing may be made in a relatively small distance. In landing theshock on the running gear is taken care of by frames27 and 31 as will bequite apparent.

It is thought that the construction, utility and advantages ofthisinvention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this artwithout a more detailed description thereof. The present embodiment oftheinvention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for thepurposes of exemplification since in actual practice it attains thefeatures of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of theinvention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and inthe combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

H avingthus described my invention, what I claim as new is:.

1. In an aeroplane of theclass described, a wheeled frame, means forrockabl mounting the wheeled frame on the aeropf ane, and means forswinging the frame to kick the aeroplane off the ground, said meanscompris ing an arcuate cylinder concentric with the axis of therockableframe, a piston slidable in the cylinder. a rod extending from thepiston and attached to the frame and compressed air means associatedwith the cylinder to operate the piston.

2. In an aeroplane of the class described,

a wheeled frame, means for rockably mounting the wheeled frame on theaeroplane, and means for swinging the frame to kick the aeroplane offthe ground, said means comprising an arcuate cylinder concentric withthe axis of the rockable frame, 'a piston slidable in the cylinder, arod extending from the piston and attached to the frame and compressedair means associated with the cylinder to operate the piston,-buffersprings located in the ends of the cylinder, a buffer spring on the rodexteriorly of the cylinder.

3. In an aeroplane of the class described, a wheeled frame, means forrockably mounting the wheeled frame on the aeroplane, and means forswinging the frame to kick the aeroplane off the around. said meanscomprising an arcuate cylinder concentric with the axis of the rockableframe, a piston slidable in the cylinder, a rod extending from thepiston and attached to the frame and compressed air means associatedwith the cylinder to operate the piston, buffer springs located in theends of the cylinder, a buffer spring on the rod exteriorly of thecylinder, the wheels of the frame having means incorporated thereinwhereby they are free to rotate forwardly and prevent it from rotatingrearwardly.

4. In an aeroplane of the class described, a wheeled frame, means forrockably mounting the wheeled frame on the aeroplane, and means forswinging the frame to kick the aeroplane off the ground, said meanscomprising an arcuate cylinder concentric with the axis of the rockableframe, a piston slidable in the cylinder, a rod extending from thepiston and attached to the frame and compressed air means associatedwith the cylinder to operate the piston. the wheels of the frame havingincorporated therein means allowing them to freely rotate forwardly andpreventing them from rotating rearwardly.

.5. An aeroplane of the class described including a fuselage, a wheeledframe, means for rockably mounting the wheeled frame on an aeroplane,and means for swinging the frame to kick the aeroplane off of theground, said means comprising an arcuate cylinder concentric with theaxis of the rockable frame, a cylinder slidable in the piston, a rodextending from the piston and attached to the frame for compressed airmeans associated with the cylinder to operate the piston, the wheels ofthe frame having incorporated therein a means allowing them to freelyrotate forwardly and preventing them from rotating rearwardly. adepending structure at the tail of the fuselage, a wheel journalled onsaid structure, a brake associated with said wheels, and means foroperating said brake.

In testimony whereof -I aflix my signature.

HARRY B. ORUMBAUGH.

